Cassano earns Italy recall
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Article summary
Antonio Cassano is back into the Italy squad after 15 months out for the UEFA EURO 2008™ Group B qualifiers against Lithuania and France.
Article body
Champions missing
The Real Madrid CF striker played his last game for Italy on 4 June 2005 in a 0-0 draw with Norway in Oslo and new national coach Boberto Donadoni has opted to bring him back. Donadoni chose not to name several World Cup winners, such as Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero and Luca Toni, as they are all short of full match fitness. Internazionale FC Milano defender Marco Materazzi is suspended and will miss the two games, as will the injured Alessandro Nesta, Vincenzo Iaquinta and Mauro Camoranesi.
Italy squad:
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Christian Abbiati (Torino Calcio), Marco Amelia (AS Livorno Calcio).
Defenders: Andrea Barzagli (US Città di Palermo), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid CF), Dario Dainelli (ACF Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (FC Internazionale Milano), Massimo Oddo (S.S. Lazio), Manuel Pasqual (ACF Fiorentina), Cristian Zaccardo (US Città di Palermo), Gianluca Zambrotta (FC Barcelona).
Midfielders: Massimo Ambrosini (AC Milan), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Marco Marchionni (Juventus), Simone Perrotta (AS Roma), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Franco Semioli (AC Chievo Verona).
Strikers: Emiliano Bonazzoli (UC Sampdoria), Antonio Cassano (Real Madrid CF), David Di Michele (US Città di Palermo), Alberto Gilardino (AC Milan), Filippo Inzaghi (AC Milan), Tommaso Rocchi (S.S. Lazio).